(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); I think I have found the best way of running games on Ubuntu. By creating a new X server you get to run games faster, toggle between running games and your desktop using [Ctrl]+[Alt] + F7, and by starting the new X server as a new daemon you can stop it without any fuss if it goes down - a much more likely prospect where games are concerned. Also there are no issues with Compiz or the Xfce panel.

Anyway there was a project to allow you to launch games on a new X server but it appears to be long dead so I've made this script to do it for you.

This is a script to install 'x.game'. Copy the code into 'install-x.game' and run 'chmod +x install-x.game' and run it as root (using sudo or gksudo). (You will need the Universe package repository enabled for installing.)

Zenity based prompts will guide you through the rest.

Warning: Whilst I've done my best to get this to work responsibly and tested it out on my system to get rid of bugs it does require some modification of sensitive system files such as '/etc/sudoers'. This is because for some reason you require su privileges to change the virtual terminal (the [Alt] + F keys). To get round this I create a group 'chvt' who are allowed to run 'sudo chvt' without being asked for a password. (edit) This has been improved a bit in the new version and thanks to Cappy who pointed out a few issues I had in the old script.

Known Bugs:

• There is still a problem with the way 'x.game' handles spaces in file names if anyone knows a way to do this properly then let me know.
  
• xrandr and other screen tools don't work properly on the new X server and cause it to crash. I'm rewriting 'winefix' to work with this method of starting games and provide useful functions.
  
• The performance boost I get on my dual core PC is not matched by my low-end 1Ghz powerpc that receives a performance drop with the extra overhead of having an extra xserver running.
  

Usage: Run 'x.game start PROGRAM' to start a new server and launch a game. And 'x.game stop' to stop a server that's not responding properly. Otherwise right click on the desktop and click on exit to close a server.

Change desktops with [Ctrl] + [Alt] + F7 (normally these are assigned as one higher each time you reboot X) to go to your Ubuntu desktop and press [Ctrl] + [Alt] + F12 to go to x.game.

Lets you select the users who can access chvt and therefore x.game. If you want to add users then add them to the 'chvt' group.

(edit) Vesion 0.4 - New uninstall option has been added and a number of errors have been fixed.
(edit) Vesion 0.5 - Gives you a notification icon to let you know that x.game is running, Has been tested for hardy.
(edit) Vesion 0.6 - Installer now lets you select the users to be allowed chvt access, Has been tested for hardy.
(edit) Vesion 0.7 - Removed references to gksudo script needs to be run now as root. Has been tested for hardy.
(edit) Vesion 0.8 - Proper user specific x authorization and fixes for a problem with 0.7. Has been tested for hardy.

install-x.game

    

#!/bin/bash

#x.game linux game daemon

#Version 0.8

#written by mikey <[email protected]>



function gettmpdir {

	TMPDIR=$(mktemp /tmp/x.game.XXXXXXXXXX || zenity --info --text="Error unable to create temp directory in /tmp."; exit 1)

}



function uninstall {

	zenity --question --text="Uninstall x.game?"

	if [ $? = 1 ]; then 

		exit 0

	fi

	gettmpdir

	awk '{ if ($1 ~ /^allowed_users=/) { printf "#"; print; } else print }' /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config > $TMPDIR

	grep "#allowed_users=" /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config | head -n 1 | sed "s/#//" >> $TMPDIR

	mv $TMPDIR /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config

	groupdel chvt

	gettmpdir

	sed "s/^\%chvt ALL= NOPASSW \/usr\/bin\/chvt$//" /etc/sudoers > $TMPDIR

	visudo -c -f $TMPDIR

	if [ $? != 0 ]; then 

		zenity --info --text="Error updating /etc/sudoers!"

		exit 1

	fi

	if [ -e /etc/sudoers.tmp ]; then 

		zenity --info --text="Error updating /etc/sudoers! Locked by another user. Try again later."

		exit 1

	fi

	chmod 0440 $TMPDIR

	chown 0:0 $TMPDIR

	mv $TMPDIR /etc/sudoers

	USERS=$(awk -F: '{if ($3>=1000 && $3 < 65534) print $1 }' /etc/passwd)

	IFS="

"

	for USR in $USERS

	do

		USRHOME=$(awk -F:  -v user="$USR"  '{if ($1==user) print $6 }' /etc/passwd)

		echo "Removing xauth for $USR in $USRHOME/.Xauthority"

		sudo -u $USR xauth -f $USRHOME/.Xauthority remove :1.1

	done

	zenity --question --text="Uninstall openbox and feh?"

	if [ $? = 0 ]; then 

		apt-get remove openbox feh --yes

	fi

	rm /usr/local/bin/x.game

	rm /usr/share/pixmaps/xgame.xpm

	zenity --info --text="x.game uninstalled."

}



#Check that we are running as root

if [ "$USER" != "root" ]; then

	zenity --info --text="Must be run as 'root'. Try 'sudo'."

	exit 1

fi



if [ "$1" = "--uninstall" ]; then

	uninstall

	exit 0

elif [ -n "$1" ]; then

	echo "Usage: $0 [--uninstall]"

	exit 1

fi



zenity --question --text="Install x.game?"

if [ $? = 1 ]; then 

	exit 0

fi

#replace "allowed_users=console"

#Allow any user to start an XServer

gettmpdir

awk '{ if ($1 ~ /^allowed_users=/) { printf "#"; print; } else print }' /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config > $TMPDIR

echo "allowed_users=anybody" >> $TMPDIR

mv $TMPDIR /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config

#Add group 'chvt' and add current user to group

groupadd chvt

USERS=$(awk -F: '{if ($3>=1000 && $3 < 65534) print "TRUE "$1 }' /etc/passwd)

ANS=$(zenity  --list  --text="Select users to access x.game?" --checklist  --column "Allow" --column "User" $USERS)

IFS="|"

for USR in $ANS

do

        usermod -a -G chvt $USR

	#Authorise X for user on display :1 

	USRHOME=$(awk -F:  -v user="$USR"  '{if ($1==user) print $6 }' /etc/passwd)

	sudo -u $USR xauth -f $USRHOME/.Xauthority add :1.1 . $(mcookie)

done

IFS="

"

#Add group 'chvt' to no password group for command 'chvt'

gettmpdir

cat /etc/sudoers > $TMPDIR; echo "%chvt ALL= NOPASSW /usr/bin/chvt" >> $TMPDIR

visudo -c -f $TMPDIR

if [ $? != 0 ]; then 

	zenity --info --text="Error updating /etc/sudoers!"

	exit 1

fi

if [ -e /etc/sudoers.tmp ]; then 

	zenity --info --text="Error updating /etc/sudoers! Locked by another user. Try again later."

	exit 1

fi

chmod 0440 $TMPDIR

chown 0:0 $TMPDIR

mv $TMPDIR /etc/sudoers

#Install required programs from Universe

apt-get install openbox feh --yes

zenity --info --text="Select a background image for desktop."

while true; do

	FILE=$(zenity --file-selection)

	RES=$(echo "${FILE}" | grep -i ".jpg$")

	if [ -n "${RES}" ]; then

		break

	else

		zenity --question --text="Invalid file name. Try again?"

		if [ $? = 1 ]; then 

			exit 0

		fi

	fi

done

gettmpdir

head -n 5 $0 > $TMPDIR

echo "BGIMAGE=\"${FILE}\"" >> $TMPDIR

tail -n 83 $0 >> $TMPDIR

mv $TMPDIR /usr/local/bin/x.game

chmod +rx /usr/local/bin/x.game

#Install icon

gettmpdir

echo '/* XPM */

static char * xgame_xpm[] = {

"32 32 2 1",

" 	c None",

".	c #000000",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"           .                    ",

"          ...       ..          ",

"         ....     .....         ",

"         .....   ......         ",

"          ..... ......          ",

"          ...........           ",

"           .........            ",

"            .......             ",

"             ......             ",

"             .......            ",

"            .........           ",

"           ...........          ",

"           ....  ......         ",

"          .....  .......        ",

"         .....     .....        ",

"         ....       ...         ",

"          ...        .          ",

"           .                    ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                ",

"                                "};' > $TMPDIR

mv $TMPDIR /usr/share/pixmaps/xgame.xpm

chmod +r /usr/share/pixmaps/xgame.xpm

zenity --info --text="Successfully installed.\nRun 'x.game start [program]'."

exit 0



PIDFILE="${HOME}/.xgame.pid"

WMPATH="/usr/bin/openbox"

function start {

	if [ -f "/tmp/.X1-lock" ]; then

		echo "X Display :1 already open"

		sudo chvt 12

		DISPLAY=:1

	else

		echo "Starting Daemon:"

		zenity --notification --text="x.game running..." --window-icon=/usr/share/pixmaps/xgame.xpm &

		echo $! > /tmp/x.game-notification

		start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --oknodo --pidfile $PIDFILE --make-pidfile --name xgame --startas /usr/bin/xinit -- $WMPATH -- :1 vt12 &

		sleep 2s

		DISPLAY=:1

		feh --bg-scale "$BGIMAGE" & 

	fi

	PROGRAM=$1

	echo "Program: $PROGRAM"

	if [ "$PROGRAM" != "" ]; then

		execute $*

	fi

}

function stop {

	echo "Stoping Daemon:"

	start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --oknodo --pidfile $PIDFILE --name xinit --startas /usr/bin/xinit 

	kill `cat /tmp/x.game-notification`

}

function execute {

	if [ -f "/tmp/.X1-lock" ]; then

		echo "Switching to display :1"

		sudo chvt 12

		DISPLAY=:1

	else

		echo "Display :1 is not running!"

		echo "Try 'x.game start PROGRAM'"

		exit 1	

	fi

	PROGRAM=$1

	shift

	if [ "$PROGRAM" == "" ]; then

		echo "Usage: "

		echo "x.game [start | stop] [PROGRAM] [parameters]"

		exit 1

	else

		while (( "$#" )); do

			if [[ -n "$1" && $1 == *\ * ]]; then

				ARGS="$ARGS \"$1\""

			else

				ARGS="$ARGS $1"

			fi

			shift

		done

	fi

	echo $PROGRAM $ARGS

	echo $ARGS | xargs $PROGRAM

}

#START OF SCT

IFS="

"

SS=$1

echo "Selecting: $SS"

case "$SS" in

	start)

		echo "Starting:"

		shift

		start $*

		;;

	stop)

		echo "Stoping:"

		shift

		stop $*

		;;

	restart)

		echo "Restarting:"

		shift

		stop $*

		start $*

		;;

	*)

		echo "Executing:"

		execute $*

esac

exit 0